Homeless People In L.A. Hired To Buy New iPhones

Its not unusual to see scalpers waiting in line whenever Apple launches a new iPhone, their motive is to get as many units as they can which are then sold at inflated prices once the initial stock runs out. A businessman in L.A. took scalping to a whole new level, when he picked up about 100 homeless people from Skid Row in Los Angeles. He promised to pay them if they waited overnight in the line outside Apple’s retail store in Pasadena, California. Since Apple allows customers to purchase no more than two units, he would have had 200 iPhones, all while paying each hired hand $40 for the trouble. His plan went awry.

The man, who hasn’t been identified in local media reports, shot himself in the foot, figuratively. He bragged about his elaborate scheme to other people waiting in line, soon word reached the employees of said Apple Store, who stopped selling iPhones to the hired hands. Seeing that they weren’t able to score iPhones anymore, the man announced that he wouldn’t pay those who didn’t buy iPhones. Upon hearing this, the homeless people who were denied their due surrounded the man and before a scuffle could break out, police escorted the businessman away for his own protection. He isn’t in trouble with the law, by the way, Pasadena police say they’re not investigating since this was “a business issue.” [Image via SGVTribune]